Industry Overview 11: Steve Thomas

Holmesglen TAFE

Industry Overview

Writing/Editing Multimedia Interactive – Week Eleven Journal

Speaker: Steve Thomas

The group of students presenting this discussion tried as best they could to tackle a very difficult topic. They looked at analysing a fairly new area of our ever changing contemporary society, namely, with Information Technology.

Some good examples of Interactive Multimedia are things like the Internet, CD Rom and Games. One needs to focus on context, structure and design to gain a better understanding of the topic. The main aim is to establish to what extent there is an ease of use and comprehension for the reader.

In terms of the World Wide Web you need to think and write globally. You must avoid defamatory and offensive language. You must plan the project and use a logical arrangement with grids, and templates. Break-up the text, make the main points prominent with the use of effective headings. Match pictures to the text and keep it simple.

Another student looked at Multimedia and Writing. What is a writer doing here? Good writers stitch good writing together, but what can a writer offer in Multimedia? They provide style:- Drama, Comedy, Suspense, and they create conflict within a story. This depicts screen description and story show.

You need to have an interest in Multimedia to be good writer/editor in this field. You can join a Production House or do workshops/courses. Most importantly Evan, as a writer you need to be a specialist in your field.

If you want to be wealthy you are required to be a team leader/member. You must be meticulous and be paid at an hourly rate or receive a lump sum.

The Guest Speaker was Steve Thomas and he discussed film making, especially documentaries. Steve has been making films for twenty years and claims that he is a struggling film maker.

When creating or writing a film script remember. Ask yourself:

(i) What is the story or film about?

(ii) What is the story/film really about?

One of Steve’s films called “Let Sleeping Dogs Lie” was an Aboriginal film about the suppression endured by our indigenous people, but he had to do research for this documentary.

(i) Does all your research for the back story i.e. speculation aspect of the story?

Steve Thomas made the second film as a catalyst for change in describing the taboo of an unmarried woman (writer’s real life sister), giving birth to a child in 1964 in England. The film was made by Steve in an attempt to resolve the issues confronting his family for years.

The film was about the baby being put up for adoption. But one asks here what really family is? What constitutes a family? To what extent is the family unit cultural? In Steve’s words “family” is really about oppression and secrecy. For his sister was forced to leave home by her parents before her pregnancy showed. The sister had to secretly give birth to her child in a Christian Home for unmarried mothers and once she gave birth, the baby girl was immediately put up for adoption. The pregnancy was kept a secret from Steve as he was the youngest in the family for he was only sixteen at the time and he did not know about his twin-sister’s disgraceful birth until after she returned home, without the baby. Steve was therefore protected by his parents from the shame which they, the parents felt.